Chapter 67
chapter
sixty-seven
The first thing I see is Jonah’s monster cock.
It’s been tamed, apparently, because it’s resting against his thigh innocently enough. Though I notice it twitch the same second his fingers pause in my hair.
He sets something aside—a hairbrush—and fits his other palm around my cheek, turning my head so it’s cushioned on his upper thigh like a pillow. He bends forward, grinning widely behind his burly beard. “ Manamea , is that you?”
My smile feels shy as I nod, stretching lightly. A warm, hard body bumps my backside while I reposition, and I find Spencer there. He’s fast asleep, with his face inches from where my spine was and his hips tucked in a spooning position.
Right , I think, feeling slow. He had me present last time. To get me to calm down long enough for Jonah to brush my hair .
A pang of chagrin hits my stomach as I try to recall exactly how many times they’d needed to do things like that. My Omega didn’t like to speak—and taming her had been an ordeal until Spencer thought up his big idea and had Avery and Tris both take me at the same time. That seemed to settle her down.
I woke two or three more times after that, but each time, my need was more emotional than physical. It was a lot harder than I expected, going from so much intimacy to a normal level.
Jonah reads my bittersweet wistfulness and picks me up, meeting my eye for permission before slowly sliding me down his length. He isn’t hard as stone, but he’s halfway there, and his cock is thick and warm inside of me. More a comfort than a temptation.
We both sigh and he gathers me into his chest, purring effortlessly.
Fresh memories flow through my mind, and I cringe, thinking he can’t see me. But then I hear him inside. Can’t hide that easily, little hummingbird .
With a surge of dizzying joy, I remember— we’re bonded . They’ll all be able to hear me. And each other.
“It’s wonderful,” Jonah rasps into my silky hair. “You did an amazing job, manamea . I don’t think any of us even realized how much we needed this until you gave it to us.”
I know exactly what he means. Now that they’ve all claimed their places inside me, I truly cannot imagine ever being alone again. Just thinking about it makes me whimper.
“Never again, baby,” Jonah murmurs, holding me closer, his heft growing more rigid inside me, letting me feel him. “ Never .”
I burrow into his neck, kissing my claiming mark. I don’t need to see his face to know he’s smiling—I can feel the joy swoop throug h his chest. It echoes in my own, bringing my tiny purr out for him.
He loves that. His cock hardens as he moans into my hair, nuzzling his cheek against my forehead to leave his scent-mark behind.
Instead of speaking, he gives me a moment to adjust, working through my hazy memories and the twirl of giddy happiness braided into them. I feel him listening, caring about every little thought as if it’s vital. When he sees flickers from my dreams, he grins again.
“You dreamed about our garden a lot, hummingbird. We’ll take you out there as soon as you have your strength back. Maybe a picnic?”
I rub my own scent between his pecs, smiling as I admit, “I wasn’t dreaming about the garden, I think. It was… you guys.”
For a long beat, confusion clangs in his head. With a sigh and a pinch of embarrassment, I do my best to show him what I mean instead of telling him. Taking his hand and leading him, metaphorically, down into my bond.
Our bond.
To me, it is a garden. I’ve heard central bonds described as a room with doors to each alpha, but mine feels more like a little patch of peaceful grass. An oasis, with gates for each of them to come to when they need me or want to cross through to one another.
It’s more than that, though. The way they each make me feel—they’ve grown me. From a tiny, broken seed into something too fierce to be a flower and too soft to form thorns. I’m somewhere in the middle—maybe even something I don’t quite know yet.
But I know that Spencer is my rain. Steady and cool, nourishing me with every drop of praise and every bit of knowledge. He can be stormy—or gentle. And I love him either way.
Avery is the wind, whipping around me in a whirl of chaos and color. And then, sometimes, whispering to me in the sweetest ways. Bringing me things I never thought I’d want or need. Carryi ng pieces of me off to plant them far away, in the unknown. Always keeping me guessing which direction we’re going in.
There’s joy in that mystery and beauty in the trust it takes to enjoy it. He and I both have that.
Jonah and I have a similar sort of happiness; only the type we share is brighter. Warmer. He’s my sunshine—so constant and vital . The steady, vibrant heat that encourages growth. There every day, no matter what.
Tristan is just as consistent in his own way. Like roots and soil. Anchoring all of us, protecting the parts of me I don’t want anyone else to see. Letting me slice through him if it means I can flourish. Giving and giving—because that’s who he is .
Jonah listens while I try to explain without words, his head finally turning to look at our pack leader. He’s stretched out, asleep, with his arm thrown over his face.
My big man’s chest rumbles deeper. “I wanted to talk to you. About that.”
But he’s… embarrassed? It’s such an odd feeling, coming from my most easy-going alpha. I let it flow through our bond, anyway, wanting to listen to him as attentively as he does for me.
I feel Avery and Spencer starting to stir, but that doesn’t seem to bother Jo. He wants them to hear, too, I think. It’s just easier to pretend I’m the only one paying attention.
He shows me what it’s been like this season, preparing to play for the fifteenth year in a row. How he didn’t ever want to stop because it felt like football was all he had—all he was.
Until me.
“Over the last few days, I’ve realized how much purpose you’ve brought to our pack. To me. And I think I want to retire. To be home. With you.”
It would help Tris, too. That’s why he’s bringing it up now. He felt me worrying about my senator alpha and all the weight on his shoulders. If Jonah is willing to take on more of our pack business so Tristan doesn’t have to carry as much…
“Are you sure?” I ask, peering up at his wide, handsome features, touching his face. “Won’t you be bored?”
He grins and shakes his head, showing me memories through the bond—the days he spent building our garden, hours cuddling me on our couch to treat my touch starvation, evenings in the kitchen.
And along with every single image? A burst of true, deep satisfaction. Of purpose .
We make him happy.
A hand claps around Jonah’s shoulder, squeezing. I’m shocked when I find Spencer at the other end of it, staring at his best friend with solemn appreciation in his gaze. “This is an inspired idea.”
Avery shuffles over next, smiling crookedly as he presses a kiss to my bare shoulder. “Yeah, Jonah, you’re old as dirt anyway. Time to pack it in.”
“Fuck off, kid,” Jo chuckles, “I still fucked you under the table at least five times this week.”
A throb of heat hits between my hips, and my fingers clutch at Jonah’s beard. Which reminds me…
“Oh God ,” I groan. “Did I—push you between my legs again?”
“Only every day,” my big man replies with pride, then bounces his bushy eyebrows at me. “Ave was jealous. But I told him that’s our thing.”
My fighter rolls his eyes before smacking another kiss onto my arm, flashing me his bedroom eyes. “In case you were wondering, kitten, our thing is doggy style.”
I cut him a look. “How romantic .”
Of course, the barb only makes him smile more. Spencer laughs quietly as he sits at Jonah’s side, turning to his brother. As soon as Tristan’s eyes blink open and he sees us, a rush of new emotions floods our bond.
There’s joy and love and gratitude. Pride for his pack. And then a complicated mix of things that make no sense to me .
Whatever it is, the humor falls off all of their faces. Jonah sighs, lifting me off his lap and turning me to face them as Tristan meets each of their gazes.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, turning from face to sober face. “Guys?”
It’s amazing how calm I feel.
When I first came to this house, the smallest hint of unhappiness from any of them would have sent me spiraling. Now, I know it isn’t anything to do with us.
But it turns out to have everything to do with me .
Tristan kisses me slowly and then frames my face in his hands as he stares into my eyes. “Sweet baby,” he sighs, “there’s something we need to tell you.”